Less than four years ago, Avondale FC were State 3 battlers, before Anthony Barbieri took over the reigns in his first senior coaching role. The rest, as they say, is history. An NPL licence in 2014 saw the club storm up the NPL 1 ladder, winning promotion to the state’s top division on first attempt. They then guaranteed survival in 2015 with a comfortable mid table finish.
Backed by an ambitious board, Barbieri now has a squad at his disposal that includes four high-profile names with varying levels of A-League experience. And so expectations have shifted, with Avondale FC becoming a compelling talking point in Victorian football in recent times. Newly appointed club president, Anthony Nuzzaco discusses the club’s rise and plans for the immediate and long-term future.
Firstly, Anthony, how are club preparations coming along for 2016?
Preparations for 2016 have been ongoing since last season ended in September. Increasing our squad depth through junior trials and senior recruitment has been very pleasing and will enhance our prospects on field. Off field, we have been working hard with council to review all possible options to increase the standard of facilities the club has at its disposal and confirm additional playing and training venues for both our seniors and juniors for next season and beyond.
You’ve managed to keep Francesco Stella and Massimo Murdocca while adding Spase Dilevski and Jonatan Germano – also high profile players with A-League clubs on their CVs – to your list. How did these signings come about and what networks have you developed to be able to attract these players?
Most of the credit goes to senior manager Anthony Barbieri. He is constantly networking behind the scenes with players and agents, creating open communication to enable these signings to happen. A part of the attraction comes from word of mouth. Networks in football are wide ranging, players like Murdocca speak to other players about the culture we have created and they discuss the good vibe we have in relation to the dressing room atmosphere between the players. Having a fun environment and a close knit group of players who are all willing to work hard for one another is the key to building a competitive squad.
It’s been a rapid rise from the state leagues to NPL, followed by promotion and consolidation. With these signings signalling an ambitious statement of intent, what are the NPL and Cup objectives for 2016?
The rapid rise comes down to setting high but realistic expectations and working hard toward them. Our aim will be to make finals and we will aspire to qualify for the FFA Cup Round of 32. If you don’t continue to improve or set high standards, then you’re essentially accepting mediocrity.
What effect have these players had to the club in terms of publicity for the club, fan support, junior registrations etc?
I think that is something that can be judged more so over a longer period of time, although the new boys coming into the club with experience at higher levels creates interest and gets people talking. Support is building and will increase again as we endeavour to engage a wider audience as well as encourage past players and members to get back to the club on a more regular basis to support the team. Junior trials this year were very encouraging, with more kids trialling than ever before. That also can be put down to setting a good structure and having the right people oversee the process.
What kind of reputation do you believe Avondale FC is forging in the NPL? Do you believe it’s now a feared entity that can shake up the established hierarchy in Victorian football?
No, I don’t believe that at all. We are still building our brand but I think that other clubs see our lack of facilities and think, “how can they be a force”? Some think we should not be allowed to compete at all, which makes our rise to this level and our competitiveness last season all the more impressive. Facilities will come. If that’s one, two or four years away, it will happen and it will be top class. If you run the club well and have good people in the main positions who work hard to do what is best for the club then everything else falls into place. Clubs know when they play us they are in for a battle and we will keep our head down and keep working to improve.
There’s no secret Avondale’s facilities have been scrutinised before, what is the short and long term vision for the club in this regard? Has there been progress made with the Moonee Valley Council?
We have finally seen some movement from Council as a new CEO has been installed and he seems to be an ‘actions man’. Possibilities have been floated around like never before. This seems promising for us in the mid to long term. As far as next season is concerned, we will not be playing our senior games at Doyle Street, and will seek an alternate venue. We hope to have this confirmed shortly.
Feature image credit: Mark Avellino